Fresh evacuation warning for Australian town two weeks after it was last flooded

Thousands have bene told to leave their homes, as Martin Stew reports

About 1,000 people in the Australian town of Forbes were told to evacuate their homes after heavy rains triggered a fresh flood warning.

The warning on Tuesday comes just two weeks after the town of 10,000 was last flooded as the already swollen Lachlan River rose faster than anticipated.

The ground is so saturated that rainfall can no longer be absorbed, making it more difficult to predict where flash flooding might occur.

Much of central New South Wales state was on high alert as a rare third consecutive La Niña weather pattern which is associated with above-average rainfall in eastern Australia.

The region has been deluged for two months with currently more than 100 flood warnings in place across NSW and 84 in Victoria.

Weather bureau data showed some areas received more than a month's worth of rain over 24 hours.

Some Forbes residents had not yet returned to flood-damaged homes that are likely to be inundated again, emergency services minister Steph Cooke said.

New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet said more heavy rainfall was expected over the weekend.

"It’s not taking much rain to cause flash flooding anywhere across our state," Mr Perrottet said.

The central New South Wales town of Condobolin was cut off by floodwaters as rescue efforts continued in the neighbouring Eugowra where 14 aircraft had been used to help stranded residents.